basilisk

/ˈbæzɪlɪsk/

//ˈbæzɪlɪsk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"basilisk" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“basilisk” is uncommon English (frequency #57,885 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,885
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A mythical snake-like dragon, so venomous that even its gaze is deadly.

Key facts for basilisk
PropertyValue
Headwordbasilisk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbæzɪlɪsk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#57,885
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “basilisk” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). basilisk lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

basilisk is uncommon English at frequency #57,885 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbæzɪlɪsk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

basilisk doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English basilicke, borrowed from Old French basilique, from Latin basiliscus, from Ancient Greek βασιλίσκος (basilískos, literally “minor king or chieftain”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”), possibly based on descriptions or rare encounters wi… The correct English form is basilisk, spelled B-A-S-I-L-I-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mythical snake-like dragon, so venomous that even its gaze is deadly.
  2. 2
    A type of dragon used in heraldry.
  3. 3
    Any tree-dwelling lizard of the genus Basiliscus: the basilisk lizard.
  4. 4
    A type of large brass cannon.
  5. 5
    An infohazard or cognitohazard, especially a Langford's basilisk.

Etymology

From Middle English basilicke, borrowed from Old French basilique, from Latin basiliscus, from Ancient Greek βασιλίσκος (basilískos, literally “minor king or chieftain”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”), possibly based on descriptions or rare encounters with different types of cobra which have crown-like patterns on their head; the 'deadly gaze' may have been from the spitting cobra's ability to spit venom into the eyes of predators or prey from a distance. The infohazard sense is a figurative reference to the deadly gaze of the mythical creature.

This word in other languages

basilisco(Español)basilic(Français)Basilisk(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "basilisk"?
"basilisk" is spelled B-A-S-I-L-I-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbæzɪlɪsk/.
What does "basilisk" mean?
As a noun, "basilisk" means: A mythical snake-like dragon, so venomous that even its gaze is deadly.
How do you pronounce "basilisk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "basilisk" is /ˈbæzɪlɪsk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "basilisk"?
From Middle English basilicke, borrowed from Old French basilique, from Latin basiliscus, from Ancient Greek βασιλίσκος (basilískos, literally “minor king or chieftain”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”), possibly based on descriptions or rare enc... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “basilisk”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-A-S-I-L-I-S-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbæzɪlɪsk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list